Eat Like Walt

Eat Like Walt:  The Wonderful World of Disney Food by Marcy Smothers   176 pages

I am not a huge fan of Walt Disney. I like some of the movies, but I'm not a die-hard Disney lover. I have been to Disneyland (when I was 5) and Disney World (Epcot when it had just opened), but I don't have a desire to go back to either place.  However, when I saw this book on the shelf in ELB, I couldn't resist. There was something about a book about Disneyland and its culinary history that just sounded too potentially weird to resist.

This was actually a pretty cool book. The author explores the "lore of each land," starting with Main Street, USA to Tomorrowland and explains that while Disneyland opened in 1955, its culinary history went back to 1923 when Walt Disney first arrived in Hollywood. While his own tastes were simple (like, did you know he loved chili so much that he ate it a few times a week?), he knew that food could have an effect on people. Some of the restaurants in Disneyland were so popular that people would wait in line for hours.  Definitely an interesting viewpoint on history. 

Small Animals: Parenthood in the Age of Fear

Small Animals: Parenthood in the Age of Fear by Kim Brooks  242 pages

"One morning, Kim Brooks made a split-second decision to leave her four-year old son in the car while she ran into a store. What happened would consume the next several years of her life and spur her to investigate the broader role America's culture of fear plays in parenthood. In Small Animals, Brooks asks, Of all the emotions inherent in parenting, is there any more universal or profound than fear? Why have our notions of what it means to be a good parent changed so radically? In what ways do these changes impact the lives of parents, children, and the structure of society at large? And what, in the end, does the rise of fearful parenting tell us about ourselves?"

I remember reading about Kim Brooks, and then I read an essay by Kim Brooks. I do not have children, but I found this to be a pretty fascinating book.  Like some people I talk to, when we share stories about our childhoods, we marvel at how children these days would never be allowed to do what we did.  For example, I would get out of the house in the morning, go ride my bike over to a friend's house and then spend most of the day outside, riding around or going to a local creek to sit and read (and yes, wade through the very shallow water).  I would also go out in the afternoon, exploring on my own, knowing to listen for the ringing of the school bell my mom used to call me home (and knowing there was hell to pay if I was late and said I couldn't hear that bell).  Granted, I grew up in a small town.  However, by the time I was 10, I was able to go into Chicago with my father and then spend an hour or two by myself, going to Marshall Field's or the Art Institute or Kroch's & Brentano's bookstore (or just walking around downtown Chicago looking at the beautiful buildings).  I can't imagine any of these things being possible for my 10-year-old nephew.

While I can't say I agree with everything that Brooks writes, I found her story and her research to be very interesting. The book is described as "Part memoir, part history, part documentary, part impassioned manifesto..." on Goodreads and I would agree with that. 

The secret lives of color

The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair  320 pages

I first saw this book in a Bas Bleu catalog and thought it sounded interesting --- and since the library owned a copy, it was a perfect way to give it a try without buying a potential dud.  Now that I've read it, I'm already thinking of at least two people to whom I could gift this book.

The author focuses on the unusual and fascinating stories of 75 different shades, hues and dyes. Divided into sections, you move from whites to yellows, blues to greens, and everything in between. You discover where certain colors came from, how they were created, how they were used, and much more.  It's not just an exploration of color, but an exploration of culture, as well. I was surprised to learn about how some of these colors were created (and how scary the chemical process can be). This book is visually stunning as you go from page to page, but it's also a great history lesson!

Lake Silence

Lake Silence by Anne Bishop  402 pages

Why yes, it's # 6 in The Others series by Anne Bishop (a series I've been working my way through recently).

While this book doesn't continue the story from books 1-5, it is set in the same world and references a few of the characters from the first 5 books.  What's consistent is the way the world is: "Human laws do not apply in the territory controlled by the Others–vampires, shapeshifters, and paranormal beings even more deadly. And this is a fact that humans should never, ever forget . . . "

Vicki DeVine is one of our main characters in this story. She's been through a divorce, but has gained a rustic resort near Lake Silence in a human town that isn't human controlled.  If you're confused by that, it's really going to help if you're read the first book in this series.  While Vicki has started to rehab some of the cabins and start her life over again, things come unraveled when a human body is discovered nearby. The investigating detectives seem to want to pin the man's death on Vicki, even though there isn't any evidence that a human could have killed the victim.  Who really murdered this guy? And what does have to do with Vicki?   And . . .  the story is off and running.

I continue to enjoy this series and find these engaging stories with characters I like.  I was glad that this book went in a different direction, expanding the world beyond the characters in books 1-5.  It was nice to have some new characters while still enjoying the "rules" that Bishop has set up in this world. And, while I found part of the story to be a little predictable, it didn't take away from the enjoyment of the book.

Purging the Poorest

Purging the Poorest: Public Housing and the Design Politics of Twice-cleared Communities by Lawrence Vale   428 pages

This book focuses on the 75-year history of public housing and the struggle to house what have been called the "deserving poor."  Focusing on two cities, Atlanta and Chicago, Vale looks at how in the 1930s, both demolished their slums (or a designated slum) and established some of the United States' first public housing. Decades later, these same two cities led the way in clearing public housing. These are what Vale terms "twice-cleared" communities and this book examines the history of these two cities' housing projects:  Chicago’s Cabrini-Green and Atlanta’s Techwood /Clark Howell Homes.  The author also delves into how design politics affects the issues of architecture and urbanism and how those affect policy.

Coming from the Chicago area, I know a fair amount about public housing in that city, including Cabrini-Green, so I was curious about this book.  It's fairly academic in nature and admittedly, I was more interested in the section about Chicago.  I remember when the Cabrini-Green development was dismantled and how it felt momentous, at least on the outside, because those buildings had been such a solid part of the landscape in that neighborhood that it was difficult to imagine that they hadn't always been there.  I appreciated that the author took a direction of examining how design affected the politics of public housing.  This wasn't a book I'll be picking up for a re-read, but it had some interesting parts to it.

The Longevity Code

The Longevity Code:  Secrets to Living Well for Longer From the Front Lines of Science by Kris Verburgh, MD        Audio Book:  11 hours, 56 mins.    Hardback Book:  320 pages    

Most excellent book!   So understandable, written in a very down-to-earth fashion.   Lofty topics broken down into laymens terms.   It is brilliant, seriously.   I am so glad to have so many new wrinkles in my brain from all the stuff learned here.   Many parts are so good you will want to re-read or re-listen to because you will want to remember the information.   The book’s point is the first person that will be able  to live to 135 years of age has been born, medical and nutritional information is advancing so rapidly that the author suggests it might be possible the first person to live to 150 years of age and still be vibrant and well looking like a 30-40 year old.    The author discusses findings and break-throughs already known and soon to be available that will change mankind’s existence.  He likens it to the diverse immense changes that arrived on the scene during the Industrial Age and says life-saving and prolonging techniques are near ready to hit the market.    There is even a procedure being tested that might sound a little vampirey swapping old blood for new blood to revitalize the body and keep the skin elastic like the youthful skin of a 20 year old.    The experiment is a little creepy that the author describes but they are working on implementing less invasive procedures as they learn more and more about how the body right down to the DNA and beyond produces all the things it takes to keep a body well and working like a champion.    Fascinating stuff here.    I highly recommend this one.

The Diviners

The Diviners by Libba Bray         Audio Book:  18 hours, 14 minutes      Hardback Book: 800 pages                       Genre:  Youth Fiction    Paranormal    Divination, Healing, Telepathy, Psychometry  Ghosts

Excellent Book!   One of my favorites this year.    Set in the 1920s flapper, 17 year old Evie O’Neill is such a fun character and I truly love the way Libba Bray has thoroughly researched the lingo of the flapper set and is such fun the way she makes her characters so believable with the bravado of that tough as nails demeanor carried out in their speech.   And the paranormal stuff is actually chilling!  You can so picture the entire story and let me tell you some of the scrapes this bunch get into will raise goosebumps.   The Diviners is actually the first book of a Trilogy so I am definetly on to the next one – got it on reserve already.     The story is so well told, the characters so endearing – o.k. not the evil ones – but all of the side stories and backgrounds will keep the reader so interested you will race through this book just to see what Evie gets into next and how her brassy ways will see her through.  I got such a kick out of the terminology, Evie is such a hoot even when she is being bossy or rude she is so funny and cute you can’t stay mad at her.   The other characters being brought in to the story along the way and the powers they possess bring this story to a whole new level.   I think anyone would find this story amusing of course if you relish the macabre it is a special bonus.  This is a wave your hands in the air book because it pulls you in and you get so involved you picture yourself in those downstairs behind closed doors hidden secret password giving speak easys one minute then you find yourself raising along with Evie and her entourage of the moment through a demon led forest or haunted house –yikes!   What fun.   Yes, yes, and yes, I absolutely praise and most highly recommend this delicious read.

God, Harlem USA

God, Harlem USA: The Father Divine Story by Jill Watts, 178 pages

No doubt, many motorists were surprised by the news, proclaimed from the sides of buses travelling the highways of 1930s America, that "Father Divine is God!"  Those who knew that the Reverend Major Jealous Divine, born George Baker, was a diminutive son of former slaves living in Harlem were likely even more shocked.  Yet at the height of his ministry Father Divine headed a network of "International Peace Missions" spanning the country, was courted by politicians including New York mayor Fiorello Laguardia and the Communist Party USA, and was worshiped as God incarnate by tens of thousands of Americans, both black and white.  His story is a strange and little known part of American religious and cultural history.

While earlier studies of Father Divine's life and ministry concentrated on politics and sociology, Watts understands the primacy of the theological, although her own politics visibly shape her account - humorously, she is openly appreciative of Father Divine's declaration that, being God enfleshed, he was not an American, but critical of his (more consistent) statements that, for the same reason, he was not an African-American.  Not only does she correct widely accepted factual errors (Divine was born and raised in Maryland, not the Deep South), she places his teachings (including his claim to divinity) in the wider context of both early twentieth century African-American religious and social currents and the New Thought "positive thinking" movement.  Unfortunately, her descriptions and analysis seem too heavily dependent on her study of Father Divine's own publications, rarely (perhaps because of a lack of other sources) going beyond a superficial recounting of this version of events.  Even when she knows that these publications are untrustworthy (at one point she estimates that they claimed Divine commanded a following at least two orders of magnitude larger than even a generous estimate of his actual number of devotees), she continues to cite them with few caveats.  This, combined with the amorphous nature of Divine's theological and political beliefs, makes for frustrating reading.

Black Prince

The Black Prince: England's Greatest Medieval Warrior by Michael Jones, 408 pages

He was three years old when he was named an earl.  He became a duke at six.  He was first placed in charge of the kingdom at the age of eight, while his father was overseas.  He fought in his first tournament at fourteen.  At sixteen he led men into battle, distinguishing himself commanding a division in the dramatic English victory at Crecy.  At twenty-six, he led the army that crushed the French at Poitiers.  At thirty-two, he ruled as Prince of Aquitaine.  After a long, debilitating illness, he died a week before his forty-sixth birthday, leaving behind his elderly father and nine-year-old son, the future Richard II.

Edward, the eldest son of England's Edward III, was not known as "the Black Prince" during his lifetime - indeed, the origins and meaning of the name are somewhat obscure.  In that lifetime, he was celebrated as the flower of European chivalry, combining bravery and piety, humility and magnificence.  Michael Jones recaptures these qualities in his lively portrait of Edward's life and world.

MAGIC STRIKES

Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews 310 pages

https://slpl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1023714116

Reviewed by Rae C.

This is book three in the Kate Daniels series. 

My review of book one https://slplbookchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/09/magic-burns.html
My review of book two https://slplbookchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/11/magic-burns.html

This is an alternate reality world (or possible future) where technology is often overcome by waves of magic.  Cars and electricity will stop working during a magic wave, and when tech comes back on, magical things will often not work, or won't work in the same way. Kate has magical powers of her own, and she work both in the Mercenary Guild (who you call when the cops can't help you) and The Order of Merciful Aid (the cops). 

A regular character, Saiman, who has the ability to shift his appearance but is not a member of the Pack- half-human and half animal- and also has an extreme amount of intel on the various magical forces, hires Kate to help him at the Midnight Games- a kind of Thunderdome, fight to the death, with various magical and otherworldly creatures and weapons.  Saiman is part owner under a fake name and one of his fake appearances.  Initially Kate is just there to give her opinions on the fights and one team in particular.  Of course, Kate ends up in the ring, kicking *** and taking no names.  We learn more about her parentage and powers, more about Saiman (oooh he has a great secret!), more about Andrea, and Curran... The ending of this book is so enticing!  I cannot wait for book four to get here!  I love this series because the romance isn't overdone, in fact, the first two books were just a tease.  Ironically, I keep wishing for a just a bit more bodice ripping, and this book delivers. 

Highly recommend! But don't read these books out of order! 

MAGIC BURNS

Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews  260 pages

Reviewed by Rae C.

This is book two of the series.
My review of book one https://slplbookchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/09/magic-burns.html

Kate Daniels lives in an Atlanta besieged by waves of magic so strong that technology is left powerless, and sometimes skyscrapers collapse.  When the magic rolls through the cars stop and the lights go out, so people will ride horses or magic vehicles, and use fey and other magically charged lights. Kate now works for the Order of Merciful Aid as well as the Mercenary Guild.  And in this book there is a magic "flare"- much stronger than usual, in fact, strong enough for Gods and their entourage to enter this realm.  Kate helps a young girl, Julie, whose mother has gone missing, along with the rest of the witches in her coven.

I like this book a lot.  I love the introduction of Julie, and Julie's storyline- especially the romantic interest Julie has for a boy who is just worthless (sorry, that could be considered a spoiler). And I love Andrea's developing character, and I won't give any spoilers on that.  The romance between Curran and Kate begins to sizzle, and we get some very interesting information on Pack relationships, especially alphas. We also learn a lot more about Kate's background and what she is capable of- enough to make accurate guesses about what is going to be revealed in book 3- and we explore a lot more of this alternate Atlanta, and it is spectacular!

My problems were with the use of Celtic mythology.  Bran is obviously modeled on Bran the Blessed, I was okay with that. And the inclusion of the Fomorians led me to think that the authors had done some real research, and then tailored it to fit their story.  (There's scant information available in the old stories on the Formorians, the sea demons that the Celtic tribes had to fight when they arrived in Ireland.) But Bolgor the Shepherd was a little too over the top and obviously pure invention- and invention that is not rooted in any sort of existing mythology that I know of.  Bolgor doesn't behave or have powers in a manner suited to any branch of Celtic mythology.  And this strange Morrigan versus the Great Crow? Well,  just turn your academic brain off if you need to, and let the characters exist solely in the story.  That's what I did.

Couldn't wait to read book 3 when I finished this one!

THE GIRL IN THE LOCKED ROOM

The Girl In The Locked Room by Mary Downing Hahn
193 pages
Reviewed by Rae C.

https://slpl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1425265116


Jules is tired of moving, and she hates the creepy old houses that they live in while her father renovates. The dad is a total narcissist.  The mom's a writer and really self absorbed. Both parents lack any supernatural gifts. Jules is a psychic and medium, although she doesn't know it.  She's felt things and seen spirits in other houses, but thinks it is her imagination.  But this time, Jules finds more and more evidence that Lily, the girl in the locked room, was real, and that she needs Jules help to cross over.

Really well done supernatural thriller!  It's not super scary, or horror.  Just an old-fashioned ghost story. It's well written and paced, well plotted, and the ending is satisfying in terms of issues with Jules' family, but the ghost story had a somewhat sloppy resolution. (See below if you don't mind spoilers.)  But the complaints I have weren't enough to spoil my enjoyment of this book!






(****SPOILERS**** and complaints: the inclusion of Frozen Charlotte dolls for no reason; relying on Dianna Wynne Jones alternate reality theory but not explaining clearly why Lily's bones weren't in the wardrobe, and thus, how two Lily's would now be inhabiting the alternate world.)

Laurus

Laurus by Eugene Vodolazkin, translated by Lisa C Hayden, 362 pages

Laurus is a beautiful, subtle novel set in a vividly recreated Medieval Russia.  It tells the story of Arseny, called Rukinets and Ustin and Amvrosy and Laurus, a doctor, a penitent, a pilgrim, and a hermit, not successively but progressively, as he and his world are poisoned by sin and healed by grace.  

In her introduction, translator Hayden candidly discusses the difficulties of bringing Vodolazkin's deliberately inconsistent use of archaic language into English - without being able to experience the original, it seems that she has done an excellent job, reinforcing the story's intimations of the relationship between time and eternity, the living and the dead.  This is only one of many profound themes in this marvel of a novel - richly imaginative, empathetic without being sentimental, historically authentic and yet timeless.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor   422 pages

Karou is an enigma. She fills her sketchbooks with fantastical monsters who she says are real (but they can't be, can they?) and she speaks many languages, not all of them human. Who is she? That's the question that has haunted her . . and she's about to find out. Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched into their surfaces by winged strangers. When Karou first sees Akiva, the end result is blood ---- but there's more to their encounter than they first realize.

I have read this book before and thoroughly enjoyed my re-read.  My original review on Goodreads is below, and I don't think I would change anything. I had forgotten how beautifully written this book is and it was a treat to sit down with it again.
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Fantastical and disturbing.  Wonderful and awful.  Heart-breaking.   Stunning.  Beautiful.

I fell in love with this book as soon as I started the first page, right before the real first page, which reads "Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love.  It did not end well."     Laini Taylor weaves us into a world filled with wonderful things and awful things, sometimes all in the same place.   Karou is a beguiling character; we learn bits about her as she learns about herself, so we're taken through the story as she is.   I found myself wandering wide-eyed through this book, savoring all the imaginative detail (and wanting to re-read it as soon as I had finished it).   I also found I wanted to book a trip to Prague (but that might not be the reaction everyone has).   The fact that this book contains one of my favorite words, and things: chimarae; so extra, extra bonus points there.   Teeth and tattoos get more points.

In the Blink of an Eye

In the blink of an eye by Jesse Blackadder   I read a galley - book is due to be published 3/19/2019   370 pages

When a family experiences deep trauma, is there any coming back to redemption and forgiveness? That's the question that the author explores in this story about the Brennans, a family who have made a change to living in a town in New South Wales. They're still adjusting to work, school and life in their new house when tragedy strikes. Afterwards, there are so many questions. Who was to blame for what happened? Why didn't someone be more careful? And what happens now? If the family fractures, will there be any way for them to remain together?

This is one of those stories where the summary has to be deliberately vague because otherwise, you can totally give away what happens. Suffice to say, there is a mother, a father, and two sons. Each handles the tragedy in their own way, and because of that, the family unit starts to unravel.Told from the viewpoints of the different characters, you get insight into what happened through each of them, as well as how they are handling the aftermath. It's not clear if they will all come through this intact --- and no, I'm not going to reveal anything.

I found this book to be thoughtfully written and at times, although a bit predictable, I found the characters to be compelling. The author does a great job of writing in a way that immerses you in the story, so you feel you're in the setting, right there with the characters. It's a very realistic story, which means there are parts that are heartbreaking (and also heartwarming).

The Other Mother

The Other Mother by Carol Goodman  335 pages

Okay. I'm going to do my best to summarize this book, although it's one of those twisty stories, complete with an unreliable (or is she actually reliable) narrator. Daphne Marist, along with her infant daughter Chloe, are starting their lives over. Having used fake credentials and an assumed name, she has secured a live-in position as an archivist to an author who lives next to the grounds of an asylum. As the story continues, we discover that Daphne has tried to be a good mother but from the beginning, has been plagued with self-doubt and dark moods. When she's diagnosed with Post-Partum Mood Disorder, her husband suggests a local mother's group --- where Daphne meets Laurel. Laurel is everything Daphne isn't: smooth, sophisticated, and totally on top of the new mother thing.  Or is she? Anyway, Laurel's daughter is also named Chloe. And as Daphne and Laurel start to mirror each other, the story is off and running . . . in a totally crazy direction. 

It's very difficult most of the time to know if Daphne is telling the truth, if she is who she says she is, if we can believe her version of what happened, etc. This lends a completely off-kilter effect to the story, which, combined with the steadily increasing pace and sense of danger, made for a compelling read.  Aforementioned mental hospital does (of course) come into play here, lending an ominous tone to the story. By the time I was reaching the climax of the story, I wasn't sure who was who or what was what, but I was completely hooked. 

Etched in Bone

Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop    397 pages

This is the fifth book in Bishop's "Others" series and by this point, if you haven't read the first four books, you could get a bit lost. Bishop doesn't spend a lot of time on character history and this book references people and events from previous books.

In the last book, the Elders, a more primitive and way more dangerous form of the shapeshifters in this world, put down a human uprising and basically flattened several cities. Now, the few cities under human control are few and far between. The Lakeside Courtyard, where Meg Corbyn and Simon Wolfgard live, is working with humans to maintain a fragile peace. However, when Lieutenant Montgomery's brother arrives, it's clear that he brings danger with him.  Because, of course, Montgomery's brother is a nasty, nasty piece of work.  If you're already familiar with the first four books, you know that Meg will have some kind of prophecy come to her and she, Simon and the rest of their group in the Courtyard will be in a dangerous situation.  What adds to this story is the Elders, who have focused their attention on the Courtyard. They don't quite understand the dynamics of the group, and how Montgomery's brother is determined to cause a lot of trouble --- but their involvement could put everyone in harm's way.

I'm still enjoying these books and the world that Bishop has created. There's continued character development from book to book, which I like, and while some elements remain consistent throughout all of the books, the addition this time of the Elders and Montgomery's nasty brother, bumped the story's tension up a few notches.

A Sparkle of Silver

A Sparkle of Silver by Liz Johnson  368 pages

Millie Sullivan works as a waitress, trying to support herself and her grandmother, who is a nursing home suffering from dementia. But she’s behind in her payments. Their world is turned upside when the director of the nursing home gives Millie Grandma Joy’s ninety-day notice. Millie isn’t sure where to turn.

One afternoon, out of the blue, Grandma mentions a treasure is hidden away at the 1920s mansion, The Chateau once the wealthiest estates in Georgia. During this brief moment of what appears to be lucidity, she makes three other claims: 1) that her mother (Millie’s great-grandmother) was a guest there during its heyday; 2) that Grandma was conceived during that period (making Grandpa not really Grandpa); and 3) Great-Grandma left a diary at The Chateau that contains a diary leading to the treasure.

This could be the answer to Millie’s prayers. If she can located that treasure she can get Grandma into a facility that can care for her as she deserves. Luckily for Millie, old mansion is a historical attraction that gives tours. She quickly gets a job there.

One evening while hunting for the diary, she is caught by Ben, one of the attraction’s security officers. Ben has his own set of financial problems, working three jobs to right a wrong his mother committed. Millie quickly explains why she is searching an off-limits section of the house and offers him half of whatever she finds if he doesn’t turn her in.

The search begins. Millie finds Great-Grandma’s diary, but there are no secret maps. Then she learns that there is a second diary. The treasure hunt continues along with a budding romance between Millie and Ben.

This is a fun story, light hearted, a dashing romance, and family intrigue. I loved reading some of the entries on Great-Grandma’s diary, seeing what life among the wealthy was like the weekend before the last weekend before October 29, 1929 (Black Tuesday). Sometimes two of the main  characters in Great-Grandma’s life were hard to keep straight, and that is why  “A Sparkle of Silver” receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Philip K Dick's Electric Dreams

Philip K Dick's Electric Dreams by Philip K. Dick, Audiobook: 6 hrs. and 56 mins., Hardback book: 213 pages


The ten short stories in this collection were the inspiration for the episodes of the TV show from the title. There is an introduction before each one from the writer of the corresponding episode. The introduction includes how the episode differs from the story and how it inspired the writer.

I liked all of the stories but the last one, "Autofac". On a post-apocalyptic Earth automated factories continue to search for resources and make things despite humans not needing them. The humans attempt to stop the factories by pitting one factory against another. Something about just didn't appeal to me.

My favorite were "Sales Pitch" and "The Hood Maker". "Sales Pitch" involves a robot that is trying to sell itself to a husband and wife. It won't take no for an answer. After all the advertising the husband has endured he refuses to give in and comes up with an extreme solution. In "The Hood Maker" someone is making hoods that protect the user from being mind-read but the powers that be don't like this. After all, if you have nothing to hide, why should you mind if your mind is read? The hood makers are trying to avoid being found by the authorities but time is running out. The ending is not what you expect.

I find it hard to describe Philip K. Dick's writing so I will provide a quote from one of the introductions. Kalen Egan and Travis Sentell: "He used science fiction as his personal laboratory, testing the limits of humanity and reality over and over again, seeing where they broke and where they held together." I would highly recommend this to fans of science fiction.

The Art of the Good Life:

The Art of the Good Life: 52 Surprising Shortcuts to Happiness, Wealth, and Success by Rolf Dobelli          Audio Book:  6 hours    Hardback Book:  272 pages         

Really enjoyable book very entertaining and a treasure trove of good ideas for making life simpler, more effectual, and successful sans the stress.    The author has a witty way of chatting the reader up and you will feel as though you have been having a fun conversation albeit a 6 hour conversation with a like-minded friend who is giving you the benefit of what he has learned about life and how to make it better.   Dobelli has tips on everything from family to work to soaring into wealth.    After all the fun and it was a fun read all the way to the end, reader, you will come away re-thinking a lot of precepts you may have and finding new ways to look at your life.    I found this to be a really good book and I was very glad to gleen the knowledge found here.   I don’t want to give anything away, just enjoy the read from page one to the last page, it is like being a bear with a honeycomb, so much to think about and such sweet nectar to come away with.   I highly recommend this book.